


Timeless

by theianitor



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Snow, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-24 08:58:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17097644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theianitor/pseuds/theianitor
Summary: Places change, people change, seasons come and go, as do the years. But some things are well and truly timeless.





	Timeless

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fearless_seas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearless_seas/gifts).



> I was excited to do this one, two pairings I've never tried before and one I'm quite familiar with. :) I hope I've done the request justice, and wish you happy holidays. <3

**\- 1974 -**

The snow crunched underfoot as Ronnie slowly made his way back to the house with the heavy crate full of chopped logs held tightly in both hands. He cast an eye towards the road leading into town. It still looked fine, but if it kept snowing like this he’d have to think of some way of clearing it. Or maybe just going to the airport to pick Jacky up? He’d said he’d be renting a car though, and Ronnie didn’t really like the idea of the drive to the airport in this weather. It wasn’t far, he told himself. Jacky would be fine.

He looked in the opposite direction but saw nothing but snow. The forest was a blur of white and gray, and the little path that led down there was completely hidden. Hemfjärden, plainly visible through the trees on a clear day, had long-since frozen. The icy wind whipping across the lake followed him inside, bringing a little flurry of snow with it. Ronnie quickly put the crate down and shut the door. He’d brought the wood in mostly because it was kind of nice to have the fireplace going, but if this kept up they might actually need it for warmth as well. It was a good thing the place was relatively small.

 

While he was pretty used to both cold and snow, there was a bite in the first gust of wind that made Jacky wish he’d brought a heavier coat. The cold felt different than back home, he thought, making his way across the runway with the other passengers. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been in Sweden before, but then it had been at the height of summer and much further south. He hadn’t been on his way to Ronnie’s winter cottage for the first time either. Also, he realized, he hadn’t been alone. He put his scarf on and pulled it up higher than usual, suddenly a little self-conscious.

Nobody recognized _Jacques Bernard_ though, or at least they pretended not to. He got through the tiny terminal without any problems and identified himself with a uniformed receptionist who smiled politely and handed him his keys. Her accent sounded like Ronnie’s, it had the same kind of bouncy cadence as she went over the contract he had to sign for the rental car. As he found the car in the parking lot outside plugged in to an electric outlet, he smiled to himself behind the scarf. What might Ronnie say if he informed him that the girl at the counter had spoken much better English than him?

 

By the time he heard the car outside it was already getting dark. The light of the short day was helped by the snow, but since the house was pretty far from the main road, it was still dark. The headlights turning up towards the house made the snowflakes in the air glitter like tiny diamonds, and Ronnie got up to greet his guest at the door. He checked the time. Jacky must have been driving pretty carefully; the trip from the airport wouldn’t normally take more than 20 minutes, but he must have landed about an hour ago.

Jacky got out of the car and felt the same chill as when he’d gotten out of the plane. The warmth and the clean smell of leathery car interior was gone in an instant, and the snowflakes prickled against his exposed cheeks and ears. The house looked nice and warm though, and he hurried to get his suitcase out of the car and find his way to the front door; the driveway had been cleared of snow, but he could only vaguely see a path leading to the house. A triangular candleholder with electric candles stood in the window, giving off a soft yellow light, and he studied it as he rang the doorbell.

“I’m happy you found the place,” Ronnie greeted, opening the door before the signal had even stopped sounding. He took his luggage and waited for him to get his jacket and scarf off.

“I can see why you drive like you do, with roads like that!” Jacky laughed.

“It isn’t that bad.” Ronnie would never admit that he’d been considering picking Jacky up, at least not now that he was there. He smiled as Jacky brushed snowflakes out of his dark hair and then looked around for a mirror. The vanity was warranted. Or at least kind of understandable. Jacky _did_ look very good, even after a day of travel.

Ronnie kept his hands in his pockets, weighing back and forth on his feet once before taking a step forward and hugging him. It often seemed like he needed a moment to figure out that they were alone and that it was okay for him to seek contact. Jacky smiled into his shoulder. He thought of it as Swedish, this reserved, almost-unwillingness to touch and hug and be close, and wondered if he would ever truly rid Ronnie of it.

They lit the fire, dined and talked, and come night they helped each other keep the cold away, along with any lingering reservation.

 

\--

 

**\- 1999 -**

Michael threw fifth gear back in and sped up once he was past the railway crossing. There was slush on the ground and he turned the wheel a little over-enthusiastically, letting the car’s rear go for a second before catching it and actually making the turn. Mika would have kicked his ass for it, but the slight rush felt good. And besides, Mika frequently drove like he owned the road but had stolen the car.

The road was wet and lonely. Between towns, driving in Finland often felt like some kind of Mad Max-movie where you could drive for long periods of time, meeting no-one, and then suddenly be in a busy city. Road signs flashed by and he paid them no mind. He knew where he was going.

 

The coffee machine sputtered and hissed while Mika took two cups out of the cupboard. The weather outside the window wasn’t exactly what he’d wished, but indoors it was warm, dry, and cozy. They’d be fine. Chances were they weren’t going to go out much anyway.

During Michael’s first visit he’d been surprised at how free they actually were here. They could go down into town and have dinner without anyone snapping pictures or bothering them. It was funny, really. Michael was very famous and as such both used to and sick of being hounded. Yet, when he wasn’t hounded, he almost seemed a little lost at first, like he’d gotten so used to it that not being seen that way fazed him.

Mika poured the coffee and pressed the button to open the gate when the buzzer sounded. He didn’t need to check. He was only expecting one visitor.

 

It felt good to shut the door on the cold and wet, and he locked himself in with a satisfying click. Michael took a deep breath and set his bag down on the floor. Leaving the door unlocked was a weird habit of Mika’s, but in a sense he understood. The house was on the outskirts of a small town, everybody knew he lived there, but there was never any trouble. Once, Mika had asked the bartender at a bar in town they sometimes visited if he knew where Mika Häkkinen lived. The bartender, who had obviously recognized them, looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then replied that he didn’t know who that was.

Michael hung his jacket and followed the smell of fresh coffee into the kitchen. The TV in the living room was on, quietly firing off the latest news. The curtain rod held a couple of silver garlands and someone had put a red table runner on the coffee table.

“You got here sooner than I had thought,” Mika grinned, handing over a steaming cup. “The coffee is only just finished.”

Michael took a sip and nodded. It was very dark, very strong, and with at least two sugars. Just the way he liked it.

“Are you going to put those down?” Mika asked.

“Hm?”

“Your shoulders, you’re all...” Mika pulled his shoulders up high and tensed his back, looking stiff and uncomfortable. Michael had to laugh. He looked ridiculous.

“Sorry, I’m just tense.”

“No shit.” Mika put his cup down and waved his hands for him to turn around. Now he was facing the living room again and had a direct view of the white, comfortable leather couch where they had spent many a night ignoring the television. The view and the thoughts, almost as much as Mika’s warm hands rubbing on his shoulders and down his back, made him take a deep breath.

When his head fell forward with a content sigh he heard Mika chuckle behind him and move closer. A light kiss against the back of his neck had Michael smiling too, and without opening his eyes he carefully felt for the counter so he could put his cup down. Coffee could wait.

 

\--

 

**\- 2013 -**

While London was gray and bleak, its slushy streets continuously doused in a snow-mixed drizzle, Zürich was an image of christmas-card perfection. From above, Jenson hadn’t been able to stop himself from thinking of a gingerbread landscape with lots of frosting. Once he was in the cab he kept looking out the window as the view of the city became farmland and small villages. Everything was covered in thick layers of white, glittering snow, and he smiled to himself. He’d never met anyone who enjoyed winter and christmas quite as much as Seb did, and this weather was perfect.

The cab pulled up in front of the huge gates and Jenson waited until the driver had left to get his phone out and message Sebastian. The road from the gate had been cleared, but it must have been a few days ago. There was still a fair bit of snow to plod through as he walked around the house and fiddled with his keys to get the door unlocked.

 

One of the timers on the counter started beeping and Sebastian slipped the oven mitts on and slid a full pan of cookies out of the oven. The spicy, warm smell added to the scent of chocolate, of dried slices of orange, of the tea-candles burning in the kitchen window. He smiled. The cookies looked great, and he quickly put the pan on a rack to cool and slid another one into the oven.

The sky outside was still a clear, bright blue, meaning it would be a cold night. At least there wouldn’t be any more snow for a little while, he thought. Sebastian loved the snow, but he didn’t _really_ love shoveling it. He reset the timer.

 

“Something smells delicious.” Jenson came in from the hall and took in the sight of the fully decorated kitchen, the counters stacked with every baking ingredient imaginable, and his boyfriend, who was pairing jeans and a t-shirt with a green apron patterned with baubles, and bright red oven mitts. “You look great,” he snickered.

“Hi!” Sebastian pulled the mitts off and went over to give him a short kiss. “Put that apron on and you can help, I have to make kellerkuchen and prepare the...” he was turning away but Jenson took hold of his arm, turning him back.

“Seb. Relax.” He forced Sebastian in to a hug. “They’re not coming until tomorrow, there’s plenty of time.”

It took a few seconds but then Seb relaxed a little in his hold.

“I know... I just want everything to be perfect.”

“And it will be,” Jenson said confidently, rubbing his arms. “I told you, I’m great with parents.”

“Right now I only care if you’re great in a kitchen,” Sebastian said, granting him another kiss. They hadn’t seen each other since the break had started, with the exception of the night of the motorsports-gala, and it was an attractive prospect to just forego all the baking and chores and suggest a takeout-dinner and lounging on the couch together.

Jenson’s hands were traveling back to make an attempt at the knot in the apron strings when a timer went off. Sebastian quickly twisted out of his grip and went for his oven mitts again.

“Put the apron on and come help me!”

 

Jenson knew better than to argue. Working together, they made their way through the recipes of easy christmas treats that Sebastian’s mom had put together for him. When they got hungry, Jenson whipped up a simple dinner for them while Sebastian cleaned up the kitchen a little bit. They put up the last of the decorations and made sure all the candles were out before going to bed.

 

\--

 

**\- ? -**

The light from the crack in the curtains hinted a bright winter day, the sun making its short trip across the sky count, reflecting off the snow that had fallen in the night. There wasn’t a sound, no cars, no people, not even the wind. Everything was still and comfortable. Behind the curtain another source of light, an orange paper star that hadn’t been turned off the previous night, still shone, its warmth seemingly a wall between the warmth inside and the crisp day outside.

Covers moved as one body, still mostly asleep, turned and found another, seeking out just a little more heat, conveying more love in the simple touch than words could ever say. The whole house was breathing a timeless feeling of family, of love, and of home.

 

\- The End -

**Author's Note:**

> All in good fun, as per usual! :)  
> Thank you for the read! <3


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